Chicken Paella

Cookbook Recipe #45

I was at World Market for the first time about a month ago. I had some money that I got for my birthday that I was itching to spend and I heard that World Market was a cool store. I saw this cookbook for Spanish recipes and started flipping through it. I always look at Spanish recipes and think they look and sound so good. But so many of them involve seafood, which I am not a fan of. I saw some recipes for Paella that was made with chicken instead of seafood. I thought it sounded like a fun recipe to try to I decided to get the cookbook. They also sold paella pans in the store for a really good price so I picked up one of those as well. I always want to try other ethnic recipes but have always been so picky that I never had the nerve to. Within the last few years with all of the cooking I have been doing I have been braver in my choices.

The original recipe called to use chicken and rabbit. Rabbit is one thing I will not change my mind on, so that was definitely out. I used Spanish chorizo instead and included some shrimp for Phil. Phil absolutely loved this recipe. I was on the fence about it. First thing was that the rice came out a little under done. I do not know if it was because of the arborio rice or somehow the ratio of rice to liquid was off a little. I think next time I will use regular rice instead. The flavor was really good. I was surprised how easy this was to make. It looks like such a complicated dish. I am excited to try it again with different rice.

Chicken Paella 
Adapted from Spanish by World Market



2 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon tumeric
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
1 red bell pepper
1 onion, cut into large pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tomatoes diced
1 cup frozen peas
3 cups arborio rice
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 link Spanish chorizo, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups mini frozen shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
Lemon wedges

In a saucepan over high heat bring chicken broth, water, rosemary, thyme and tumeric to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Meanwhile heat a paella pan over medium high heat with olive oil.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan and brown for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add onion, pepper and garlic to pan and cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, chorizo and peas. Cook 2 more minutes. Add rice, parsley and paprika. Stir to coat. Return chicken  back to pan.

Strain broth with a colander to remove herbs. Pour into paella pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes without stirring, then reduce heat and cook for a few more minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add shrimp to the pan.

Place pan in oven and cook for 12 minutes until rice is cooked.

Remove from oven and cover pan with a kitchen towel and leave for 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve with lemon wedges.

This recipe is linked on: Cast Party Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Linking up With Luna,  Show and Share Wednesday,   Full Plate Thursday, Link it Up Thursday, Thriving on Thursdays, Tasty Thursdays